The Land Pirate
by sparrowismyhummingbird
Summary: 'I am a gypsy. A Land Pirate. The only difference between us is the sea.' She spoke icily. Jack needs to get his beloved Pearl out of the bottle, but will he be able to pay the price? She wants his help for something big, but will it resort in her having to use her only weapon? Passion, deception, one difference and two goals. Jack learns never to cross with his opposite. JackxOC
1. Chapter 1

**So as my other Pirates of The Caribbean fanfic is on hiatus for now, I decided to begin with this one. **

**This is JackxOC so if that displeases you please read no further. **

**Any reviewers, alerters, favouriters etc. will be mentioned in the chapter immediately following their review/alert/favourite and I will try to reply to as many reviews as possible should I get any in the first place.**

**Follow me on Twitter ( sparrowfanfic) to receive news, update links, sneak peeks, polls, and fan art. You may also tweet me with any questions, requests for one-shots or requests for multi-chaps. Note: Multi-chap requests will be written down and added to a list, whereas one-shots will have the chance of being written sooner, as you can probably understand. **

**Anyway, enough from me! Hope you enjoy this one! It's no-doubtedly much better planned than the last and with a bit more spice. **

**Enjoy!**

The pendant glittered and glowed in the lamplight, bringing a confident shine to Jack's dark russet irises.

'I see it satisfies you then?' the woman sat in the chair opposite him raised an eyebrow as she spoke, a small grin playing at her lips.

'S'long as it does its job, love.' Jack never took his eyes off the ruby gem. It was the centre of the pendant and around it were intricate designs delicately swirling in gold. 'S'good enough for me.' He thought of his beloved Pearl being able to sail the seas again and grinned at the jewel.

'Excellent.' She stood and extended her hand towards him. 'I therefore assume we have a deal?'

Delicate, pale skin and red-painted nails clashed with a tan and heavy rings as he shook her hand with a smirk.

'Tis an accord.'

~000~000~ _**Aboard 'The Maiden's Wrath', recently commandeered from Tortuga.**_ ~000~000~

'Captain!' Joshamee Gibb's gruff voice resonated in Demelza's ears and she huffed.

'Aye, Gibbs?' Jack shouted back from his place at the helm. Demelza turned to see him nod behind him for Cotton to take over before making his way down the staircase towards his first mate.

As he strode past Demelza, she did not fail to notice he had added her pendant to his collection of finery that dangled from his dreadlocks .She grimaced at the mistreatment of her precious stone and averted her eyes back to the ocean.

'Cap'n, some o' the men been wondering. What is…?' he trailed off, glancing at Demelza as she tipped her head back to embrace the sea air that swept over her face.

'Her name's Demelza, Gibbs.' Jack supplied and Gibbs brought his eyes back to his Captain.

'Aye, her.' He cleared his throat. 'Some o' the men been wondering…what are her…wantings on this ship?' he glanced again at Demelza with a suspicious eye.

'You mean her intentions, Master Gibbs?' Jack corrected.

'Aye.' He kept his eyes on her. 'She is a woman after all and-'

'Master Gibbs, her intentions are her business I think you'll find, mate.' Jack rocked back on his heels and rested a hand at his belt. 'The only reason there is that I have come to know of said intentions, is because I am her only hope, as it were. If you wish to find those out for yourself, I'm afraid I'm the wrong person to be asking, mate.'

Gibbs nodded. 'I suspected so.' He said with a hint of defeat as his eyes cast downward in annoyance. 'Very well.' He flashed Jack a fake smile and hurried off in the opposite direction to Demelza.

Jack rolled his eyes, checked his compass and quirked an eyebrow before snapping it shut.

Feeling eyes on him, he turned in the direction of the woman and chocolate brown clashed immediately with sapphire blue.

'Demi.' Jack grinned briefly and strode towards her.

'Am I to address you as Captain?' She ignored the nickname and returned her gaze to the water.

This out-of-the-blue question momentarily shocked Jack a little and he frowned. 'Why don't you correct me when I call you Demi, Demelza?' He ignored her question and this time it was his turn to eye her suspiciously.

Her head snapped to look at him again and she locked eyes with him once more, narrowing them and pursing her lips. 'I asked first.'

'I asked second.' Jack shot back with a smirk and something twinkled in his eyes. Demelza sighed and turned her head away from him.

'I've been called many things, including Demi, _Captain.' _she hissed his title and glared at his profile when he only grinned.

'If you don't mind me asking, what else did they include, love?' Demelza's eyebrows shot up at the new nickname before she glared at him icily. Why would he ask such a question?

Jack's cocky smirk made itself clear on his features and she rolled her eyes.

'Many things.' She repeated.

His trinkets clicked and chimed against each other in the gentle breeze and she winced as her pendant collided gently with a mustard-yellow bead. Demelza let her eyes fall across his other beads. For some odd reason she found herself fascinated with them. She imagined each one having its own reason to be a part of his collection. Its own story.

Demelza was, and always had been, captivated by stories. Naturally.

Jack remained silent for a moment before he turned his head to look at her face and she quickly brought her eyes back to his.

'You may address me however you wish, love.' Jack nodded then frowned when he noticed a grin on her lips. 'Within reason.' He added and cleared his throat before heading back in the direction of the helm.

~000~000~

A harsh rapping at his cabin door brought Jack's eyes off his compass and to Demelza as she stepped inside. She grimaced at the musty smell of rum and wood, her nose wrinkling.

'Ah, Demi.' Jack lifted his feet down off the desk and he welcomed her in with a gold grin, gesturing to a chair opposite him for Demelza to sit down.

She stayed standing.

Jack's face then lost its warmth and dropped into an accusing frown.

'Demi, all of me crew are currently below decks. What are they doing there?' Jack decided to pick up on the thing he noticed when she'd first walked in. He'd brushed it off until she denied his offer of a seat.

'Eating, Captain.'

Jack felt a glowing warmth cover his neck and chest when she addressed him by his title. He resisted the urge to grin smugly and instead deepened his frown.

'Aye. And pray tell why you are not also?' he raised an eyebrow and looked back at his map again.

'Apologies, _Captain.'_ She hissed the word once again and Jack visibly flinched. 'But I could ask you the same question.' She crossed her arms and smirked when his head shot up again.

Jack scoffed and reached for a dark-coloured bottle, swigging from it twice before slamming it back on the table again.

'Look, when are we-'

'What is it,' he cut her off, 'that caused you to deem it necessary to brace me with your, very red, presence?' Jack gestured towards her nails and matching attire with his bejewelled fingers. She noticed he had taken off his coat and was wearing a baggy ghillie shirt without the ties, leaving it open at his chest.

Demelza huffed and looked away from it. 'I came here to ask you how much closer we are to finding him. You must know, since you're Captain and all.' She placed her hands on her hips accusingly.

Jack swigged from the bottled again before standing to approach her.

'If you're questioning my truthfulness when I call myself Captain, then you are very much mistaken, Demi.' Jack stepped dangerously close and his rum-scented breath caused Demelza to glare straight into his dark eyes. 'There's no word of lie in it whatsoever.'

Demelza stepped back and Jack rolled his eyes.

'Look, lass. If I could perform witchcraft…' he paused, frowning in thought. 'I wouldn't go anywhere bloody near it but that's beside the point. What's directly smack-bang on top of the point is that I am trying me best, love. But you haven't exactly made it easy for when the only information you'll give me is that he's a bloody pirate!' He threw his arms in the air. 'Now, I realise you're not familiar with the ocean, love. I can tell from the way you're practically seducing the waves with your eyes whenever you're on top deck. But let us get one thing straight, me and your father aren't the only pirates out there, Demi. There's bloody hundreds. And finding the one who helped your mother make you is not going to be easy, especially when the information you've given me is so limited.' Jack's eyes widened as he spoke, accenting his words and giving Demelza the impression he was less impressed with her request.

'I've told you, that's all I _can_ give you.' She spoke through gritted teeth. 'For now.'

Jack eyebrows raised, disappearing under his red bandana as he tried hard not to let his grin give too much away.

So there _was_ more. He knew it.

Jack stepped closer again.

'What is it you need?' He lifted a hand and gently caressed Demelza's cheek. 'Persuasion?'

She fought against her subconscious reactions and instead caught his wrist firmly and looked him straight in the eye.

'I am a gypsy. A Land Pirate.' She spoke icily. 'The only difference between us is the sea, Sparrow.'

'Actually, I could name a few other differences.' Jack glanced at her chest and she dug her nails into his skin, bringing his eyes back to hers with a hint of anger behind them.

'I am no stranger to the likes of you Sea Pirates and your common desires, Sparrow.' She spat. 'Neither am I like the wenches from where I came from; who have no hesitation in kneeling to your every need.' She gripped him tighter when a flash of amusement shone in his eyes as he recognised her pun. The tighter grip caused him to chuckle and she glared icily before adding, 'Pun intended' and his face dropped in offense.

'So,' he wiggled out of her grasp. 'What can I possibly do for you, _Demelza_?' He drawled her full name causing an amused glint to flash in her eyes. 'To persuade you to slip out a bit more info, eh?'

He narrowed his eyes in challenge and she made a quick-snap decision.

Holding her palm out flat she raised both eyebrows confidently.

'I want my pendant back.'

Jack's face dropped and he glanced down at the ruby stone and back up to her face again, noticing no change in her determination. She was serious.

'As a safeguard.' She added insistently, lifting her hand higher and twitching her fingers towards her in beckon.

'I'm sensing a lack of trust here, Demi.' Jack hesitated to hand back his only way of freeing his beloved Pearl.

'You've never given me reason to trust you.' She scowled, her palm still outstretched.

'But have I ever given you reason to not?' he attacked back with a lopsided grin.

Demelza rolled her eyes. 'Give.'

Jack groaned audibly and reluctantly plucked the pendant from his hair and placed it on her palm. She immediately closed her hand and smiled. With its familiar weight there, she felt much more comfortable that she wouldn't be tricked out of a deal.

'I don't go back on my promises, Captain.' She locked eyes with him again. 'I will give you more information, as you request, as well as the other element. We _will _retrieve your ship. The pendant will do its duty, as promised.'

Jack smiled confidently.

'So long as to you keep your word too.' She warned. 'No ship comes out of any bottle until we find my father.' She narrowed her eyes. 'Understood?'

Jack nodded. Demelza thought she saw something else playing in his eyes but she chose not to pay heed towards it.

'Tis an accord.' He held out a decorated hand for her to shake.

'Quite.'

**So let me know your thoughts on this so far. It will help me work out whether it's worth continuing or not. Sorry to those who were following me for James and Elmira in my other PoTC story, I will continue with it. I've just left it for a bit to focus on some other things. But I assure it won't be forgotten about. **

**Thank you for reading! =) Drop me a PM is you have any questions. **

**~sparrowismyhummingbird~ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello there! =) Glad to see you've deemed this story good enough to read the second chapter! **

**Thanks to: Arianna Flamepelt, HoodedNinja, 626, silentobservergirl, dionne dance and especially to linalove. :D **

**Thanks to you all for the feedback! And thanks for giving this story the push it needs to get going properly! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of The Caribbean. **

Demelza slammed her hand on the railing beside Jack and he jumped.

'Take it easy on the woodwork, love. Tis not my ship.'

'Why aren't you steering?' she ignored his comment, shooting him an icy glare.

Jack turned to look behind him and up at Cotton who was standing at the helm. 'Cotton seems to be managing just fine.' He turned back to her and her glare stiffened. She leaned in close to him and spoke sternly.

'I trust no one but you to steer this ship. How do I know that man knows where he is going? Hmm?' she snapped.

Jack's eyes darkened and he grinned softly.

'I'm ever-confident in Master Cotton's navigational skills, Demi.' Jack retorted. 'He has no tongue. Therefore can't waste time yapping now can he?' Jack then smirked and leaned in closer to whisper, 'Though I'm flattered you have so much faith in me. Shows an improvement since our last little chat, eh?' He grinned. Dipping his head curtly, he turned to walk away but Demelza caught his arm.

'You are Captain of this ship are you not?' she swiped a hand out and hit his tri-corn hat with such quick force it fell of his head and onto the deck.

'My hat!' Jack cried and bent to pick it up. Just as his fingers brushed it however, Demelza pressed the sole of her foot against his fingers. Not hard enough to hurt, but not soft enough so he could move them. Jack looked up at her and gulped at her angry expression. Sometimes he forgot what she could be capable of as gypsy. He reminded himself to look up on that later.

'You are Jack Sparrow are you not?' she spoke down at him through gritted teeth.

Jack resisted the urge to grumble the word 'Captain' and instead grinned. 'The one and only.'

She stepped off of his hand and Jack quickly retrieved his hat and stood up, plopping it back on his head with a satisfied smile.

'Then I want you, and only you to steer this ship.' She pointed a finger and prodded his chest. 'I need to find my father, Jack.'

He realised then that it was the first she'd ever called him by his first name. His eyes widened in shock for half a second while his mouth twisted into a smirk.

'I'm sure you do, Demi. I've no doubt in my mind about that. Just as I so very much need my beloved Pearl back under me feet, savvy?' He waited for a reply, but since he did not get one, he continued. 'But unless I get that pretty pendant of yours back on me braid, the only way I'll ever be standing on my ship again is my balancing on a bottle.'

Demelza frowned lightly and stepped closer to him.

'The pendant alone won't help you, Jack.' She warned. 'I'm also needed. Don't hasten to forget that little element.' She cocked an eyebrow, a slight smile creeping onto her lips. 'Savvy?' She laughed heartily before disappearing off.

Jack paused in thought for a moment after she'd gone.

'Cotton!' he shouted, not even turning to face the man.

'Hoist the sails! Hoist the sails!' the parrot shrieking reply came and Jack lifted a hand to fiddle with his braided beard.

'I'll be takin' over from here!'

~000~

'Why is it only me, Demi? Do you really have lack of trust issues or something, eh?' Jack said, his eyes serious but his mouth twitching in amusement as he turned the wheel slightly to keep _The Maiden's Wrath_ steadily on course.

Demelza was standing behind him, her hair flowing forwards in the wind. She stood with her back to the deck and watched the waves as the ship disturbed their peaceful rolls. She rested her hands on the railing gently, around her wrist was an arrangement of gold bangles. She wore a white, puffy shirt with short sleeves, a red layered skirt and black belt. Around her other wrist was her head scarf. She'd removed it to let the wind flow through her honey-coloured hair. For some reason it calmed her.

'You wouldn't be the Captain if you never took control.' She muttered loudly.

A gasp escaped her throat when she found him suddenly behind her and her grip on the railing tightened in frustration.

'It takes more than steering a ship to make me Captain, Demelza.' His hot breath on her neck made her shiver against her will. 'It takes a sense of authority over others…' he paused, his fingers danced over her waist as he spoke, the thin material of her shirt not proving to be much of a barrier between skin and skin. 'And for others to sense that authority, savvy?' His sudden change in attitude towards her, coupled with her shivers momentarily distracted Demelza.

'You're fascinated with the ocean, I see.' He waved a ringed hand out over her shoulder at the water. 'Beautiful, isn't it?' He smiled, unbeknownst to her; he had never taken his eyes off her lips as he spoke. His grin widened briefly as they parted slightly at her mesmerisation with the sea. She was an odd one.

Demelza quickly snapped out of her state and glanced over her shoulder to see he'd tied the wheel fixed with a rope.

'That's cheating.' She snarled.

'What is? This?' he gripped her hip and she growled.

'You _know _what I meant.' She grabbed his wrist and in one swift movement, turned to face him, causing his arm to twist at and awkward angle.

He winced but his grin never left.

'Don't hasten to forget that I am a gypsy, Sparrow.' She spoke his surname as though it burned her tongue. 'Even out here at sea I have my ways of getting what I want.' She cautioned. 'There is no lie in my profession. Granted, not all who claim to be travellers are genuine gypsies. But I am, I'm afraid.' She paused. 'Don't make that unfortunate for you.' She smirked. 'I'd hate to have to hurt you're handsome little beard.' Amusement danced in her eyes and she ran her thumb and forefinger down the length of one of his braids once before letting go and tightening her grip on his wrist and smirking again.

Jack ignored the insult and inspected her up and down with his eyes.

'You are proud of your profession then?' He asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

'It is true, mine is not an ideal career. But it puts food on my plate, and as you know in Tortuga, work is hard to find. And I was not about to become like my mother.'

'You mother?' Jack's eyebrow raised in confusion and all the tension between them was suddenly lost. She'd never spoken of her mother.

'She was a wench.' Demelza added, some of her confidence had gone and Jack noticed when she dropped his wrist.

He stiffened and something about his eyes seemed to soften.

'Was?'

'Yes, was.' Demelza broke eye contact with the pirate and looked at the ground. 'She was killed…by a client. He tried to force himself on her and demanded for her services without a charge. She struggled. He was extremely drunk…and…he beat her to death for refusing.' Demelza tried hard to swallow the lump in her throat as she told Jack her mother's story. 'It was while I was still very young. I didn't understand at first. I remember living with a dressmaker after that…she made dresses and clothes for the wenches and she knew my mother quite well.' Demelza still didn't look at Jack, she knew if she did she'd break down. She'd never spoken this story out loud before. It felt odd. 'Once I learned what my mother was…I realised my father must have been a client of hers too. But I had no way of knowing who he was. Pirates and sailors came and went from Tortuga like ants foraging. So now, he's the only family I have left and I want to find him before I die at least. If I die not ever knowing any of my family Jack, I'll have truly been alone my whole life.' Demelza had no idea why she was explaining all of this to a man she'd known only for a few days. Perhaps it was the lapse of her judgement in saying it all out loud. She could feel tears brimming her eyes and she fought them back.

Jack lifted her chin gently to meet his eyes and she was surprised to see some genuine regret displayed across his features. She didn't know if it was put on, but at that moment it seemed real enough.

'I'm sorry…'he shook his head slightly. 'I did not mean to-'

'This is why I need to find him, Jack. I've no other family left. I never properly knew my mother and now…'she trailed off and he dropped his hand.

'We will, love.' Jack said solemnly. He too had no clue about why he was acting so strangely towards the woman. He never showed her any comfort before, and he had no idea why he acting the way he was now. Something strange was about to happen, he could feel it.

Demelza nodded and swallowed.

'Can I ask?' Jack began, 'What else is there? About your dad? Can you give me anything else? This is seeming increasingly hard to achieve with such little knowledge of the man.'

Demelza paused.

'I'll tell you more.' She paused again. 'Just not right now.' She felt the lump in her throat subside somewhat and she breathed a sigh of relief at not showing such weakness in front of the pirate.

She stepped away from him and headed for the stairs.

'My cabin. Come tonight while the rest of the crew are eating and we'll talk then, Demi.' Jack spoke after her and she nodded.

'Aye, Captain.' She then disappeared down the stairs.

~000~

**~sparrowismyhummingbird~ **


	3. Chapter 3

**So as I tweeted yesterday, this will be my last update until the New Year unless I find a moment to squeeze in an update between. However it is in unlikely that will happen as it involves rushing to get a chapter finished which I despise doing as it often is obvious in my writing that I've rushed it. **

**Thank you for being patient between now and the next update! But I'm sure you're all busy with your own Christmassy/New Yearsy things anyway! **

**Thank you to: stark-obsessed247, UntilTheVeryEnd6, dionne dance, upisdowngirl1, Lyra Raine Sparrow and linalove. **

**I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. **

**Love, ~sparrowismyhummingbird~ **

Demelza's hands tightened on the wooden arms of the chair she was sat in.

Jack noticed and held a bottle out to her. She glanced at it, wrinkling her nose and looking at him in disbelief.

'I don't drink, Jack. Especially that particular drink that makes men in Tortuga assume I'm just like my mother.' She pushed it away from her.

Jack swigged from it instead and Demelza grimaced and looked away.

'Now,' Jack began then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. 'About your father?' he glanced subconsciously at the pendant hanging from Demelza's neck. Raising an eyebrow, he wondered how she had managed to acquire such a delicate chain whilst aboard the ship. It almost seemed as though she had expected to get it back.

'Yes, I was told…by the barman at _The Faithful Bride_, that the man whom he calculated was most likely to be my father was a pirate and that…he knew you quite well.'

'Me?' Jack's eyes widened in shock and his thoughts immediately starting flitting through names of pirates he knew 'quite well'.

'Well not you specifically…' Demelza added, bringing Jack's train of thoughts to a shattering halt. 'He told me this pirate knew Jack.'

'Just… Jack? No Sparrow?' Jack grimaced and added through gritted teeth, 'No _Captain_…?'

'Yes, but he was then distracted by a brawl to tell me anymore.' Demelza sighed. 'So I asked around for your whereabouts once I remembered your name and that you were the most…' Demelza paused at what she was about to say. She had no doubts it would bring that stupid smug smirk back to his face. 'That you were the most well-known 'Jack' on these waters…'

Jack grinned broadly and Demelza fought hard not to roll her eyes.

'My, my, flattery does seem to be your forte don't it Miss…' Jack trailed off, realising he didn't know her surname. Then it hit him that if he did, it would probably help them narrow down this mysterious sperm-donor they were searching for… 'Ahem, what _is _your surname, Demi?'

'Dumiere.'

Jack frowned deeply.

'I took my Mother's.' Demelza added and Jack groaned.

'Well that's not very much help then. Is it, love?' he huffed and stood up, rubbing his face with his hand.

'I've given you something at least.' Demelza defended herself. As much as she knew she could depend on herself if she was ever in trouble, she didn't want to witness an angry Jack. 'I know you're doing your best, Jack. I'm grateful, honestly I am.' She insisted.

Jack sighed and looked away from her. 'I know you are, love. I just-'

'Captain!' Gibbs' exasperated voice shouted from just outside the cabin and both Jack and Demelza's attention was quickly turned to the door as Gibbs staggered in, so wet that both his clothes and hair alike were plastered to his skin. He was breathless and water dripped from his fringe and chin as he spoke. 'We've hit a maelstrom, Cap'n.' He braced himself on the doorframe as another monstrous wave smashed into the side of the ship, knocking it sideways.

Jack flashed a grimace and rushed over to the window, ripping back the curtains to reveal dark swirls of voluble seawater and rolling clouds, flashing angrily with lightning.

'Do we have time to turn her to port, Gibbs?' Jack looked back at his first mate but his eye caught Demelza. Her face was pale, eyes wide as she stared out the window, her lips parted in shock. She seemed scared. Too scared, Jack thought. Even for someone who was perhaps witnessing her first sea-storm. Jack shook his head; he would have to think about that later. He had no time to question her, as Gibbs' reply came loudly as he struggled to shout over the ferocious wind and creaking of _The Maiden's Wrath_ as she struggled to keep afloat.

'Aye, Cap'n. Might be a bright idea to put you at the helm though!'

'Aye.' Jack nodded and swiftly shut the curtains. He grabbed his coat off the back of his chair before striding towards the door. 'Demi.' She looked over at him, the worry still fighting its' way into her frown. 'Stay in here. Do not move.' He instructed.

Demelza didn't argue.

The cabin door banged shut in the wind after the men had left and Demelza still glanced at the window every few seconds. After a few minutes of compensation, she swallowed and slowly got up out of the chair, approaching it with caution.

Lightly pulling the cotton curtain back with her fingertips, she peered gingerly out at the raging weather, illuminated ominously by the moon as they sailed gradually out of it. No doubt Jack was working hard above her to keep _The Maiden's Wrath_ upright and on top of the water rather than under it. She imagined the fixed frown on his face as he struggled with the wheel and smiled in gratitude. Thank god he was as skilled with his ship as he was cocky.

Rain lashed against the window and Demelza winced, praying it wasn't what she thought.

'Please leave us be, Calypso.' She whispered, pressing her forehead against the glass in vain and closing her eyes.

* * *

Jack's eyebrow raised as a plate was discarded lazily in front of his face. The other eyebrow joined it when he noticed there were two pieces of bread and a dollop of honey on said plate. He looked up and met the sapphire eyes of Demelza. A grin formed on his lips.

'What's this?' he asked as he studied the plate with a scrutinising eye.

'It's for you.' Demelza began, trying hard to keep every inch of her pride.

'Ah…my thanks.' He placed both palms together and nodded at her. 'May I ask, where did you acquire this?' he pointed to the golden honey and she frowned.

'It was just in the galley, I figured I'd use it seeing as bread alone seemed pretty boring.' She explained and Jack smiled to himself.

'This is hard to come by.' He began. 'I like to refer to it as the treasure of foods out here on the ocean. Very rare to acquire some.' He glanced at her.

'I didn't conjure it up if that's what you're implying.' She shot back at him with an attitudinal quirk to her voice.

Jack lifted both hands in surrender. 'Wasn't implying nothing, love.'

'I noticed you rarely ate. And with all that rum you consume…' she paused. 'I often end up having to deal with drunkards, Jack. I don't fancy dealing with you when your stomach's so empty it's left nowhere for the liquor to go but your head.' She crossed her arms, her bangles jingled.

Jack smirked smugly.

'So it's just that you don't want me ruining my liver, is that it?' he asked, a hidden tone to his voice. He chuckled and rolled her eyes. 'Not that you care for me or anything, love. Is it? And it is that you just felt like showing some hospitality and made me a meal?' He added with a confident grin, ripping a chunk from one of the bread pieces with his teeth.

'Me show hospitality?(!)' she exploded. 'Jack, I've been sleeping in a hammock with the crew this whole journey!' she threw her arms in the air. 'Who, by the way, don't smell too_ inviting_.' She quipped sarcastically.

'And so they shouldn't.' Jack retorted.

'Excuse me?'

'If my crew smelt inviting to you, Demi. You'd be encouraged to use your womanly charms and end up distracting them from their work. Can't have that.' He waved a hand in dismissal. 'Tis a pirate ship, love. Working class only. If you're not working, you're not sailing.' He looked up at her. 'Understood?'

'Ugh!' she turned to leave but his next words made her stop.

'The only way to be excused for using your womanly assets,' he paused when she scoffed and she didn't hear him get up. 'would be to use them on the right person. The only person in the position of excusing said antics.' He grinned when a soft gasp escaped her lips just as he pulled her hair off her shoulder from behind. She cleared her throat but her momentary lapse in control didn't go unnoticed by the pirate.

'In your dreams, Sparrow.' She turned and flashed him a fake grin.

'Or perhaps in yours, Miss Dumiere?' His charm was as blatantly obvious as the wound on his jawline as he caressed her cheek with his knuckles and she scoffed again, turning her head away from him.

'If you must know, Jack. The reason for me bringing you bread and honey is as thanks for keeping us afloat last night.' She still kept away from his gaze and tried hard not to let her thoughts of Calypso return.

'Very much accepted, love.' He grinned and chose to bring up the matter of her worry over the whole fiasco another time.

'Hmm.' She bit her thumbnail in contemplation and he quirked an eyebrow.

'Something you're wanting to say, Demi?'

'Yes, actually.' She looked him in the eye. 'I want a position.'

He glanced at her and his eyes glittered with something mischievous. Before he had a chance to respond however, she spoke again.

'I want to be a part of the crew. I can cook, clean, sew…anything.' She looked at him with sternness in her frown and he realised she was being serious.

'Why's that?' he challenged, looking down his nose at her.

'Since it seems I'm to be aboard this ship a while, it's only fair I contribute to the runnings somehow.' She nodded.

'You?' It was Jack's turn to scoff. 'A gypsy, playing fair?' he grinned in amusement and strolled back behind his desk and took a swig of rum. 'Why does this all reek of something…' he paused to sniff. 'Underlying?'

'Oi,' she slammed her hands on the table and leaned forward. 'Don't make me regret my decision.' She growled.

'Actually, love. You made but a _proposition_; the matter of a decision is very much left up to me.' He winked and leaned on the table too, towards her. 'Don't disrespect your Captain.'

He smirked and twirled a lock of her hair round his finger. She whipped it out of his fingers and glared icily. 'You're not my Captain, Jack.'

'Not yet, love.' He stood up and she straightened, narrowing her eyes at him and placing her hands on her hips. 'Not 'til you've made the bed at least.' He winked.

'Beg pardon?'

'You said you wanted to play fair…So play it. However, you chose a rather tricky time to sign up, love. I have no positions in me crew left other than cabin boy…err _woman._' He flashed a grin.

'Cabin woman.' She repeated; her glare stiffening.

'Cabin woman, aye.' Jack grinned with amusement and his eyes glinted with mischief as he rounded the desk towards her. She stayed stood where she was, even when he stopped in front of her and lifted a decorated hand to pull on the tie of her bandana. She fought to keep her pride as her hair tumbled free and he grinned, his eyes settling on hers. 'Unless you can think of other ways to play, eh? As long as I get payment, love, I'm happy with anything.'

She snatched the bandana from his hand and hooked it around his neck with a sly smirk. He matched her with a smug grin of his own, his eyes dropping to her lips.

'Perhaps I _can _think of alternate options, Captain.' She whispered, her lips dangerously close to his.

His face dropped when she reached out a hand and twirled his braided beard between two fingers, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. He'd momentarily forgotten she was a gypsy and had no lack of outgoing confidence.

'What?' she questioned his silence. 'Don't think you could take it, Jack?' She pouted. 'Shame that.' She sighed and slowly unhooked her bandana from around his neck. 'I'll take that cabin woman position then.' She whispered, her breathe falling over his lips and she laughed lightly.

He caught the material before she had a chance to remove it completely and tugged her towards him. She challenged him with her eyes and he faltered. Huffing once, he let go and stepped back away from her. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or insulted.

She tied the headscarf around her hair again and stepped aside from him to get to work on plumping his pillow.

He flashed a grimace to no-one in particular and returned to his desk, munching on bread in silent frustration.

Demelza stifled a laugh. He could be very foolish at times.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! I managed to find some time to get this chapter done. It's a significant one for moving the story along and I was eager to get it uploaded! =) Sorry for the wait. **

**Huge thank you to: Upisdowngirl, linalove, HoodedNinja, Broken-Zodiac and NeoCosplayCat626. **

**Dislcaimer: I do not own Pirates of The Caribbean. Though I do own a wonderful, life-size cut-out of Captain Jack ;) haha.**

**Enjoy, my lovelies! =)**

'Oi, missy!'

Demelza whipped her head round to see Gibbs approaching her with a stern frown creasing his forehead.

'Cap'n wants you. He don't seem too happy that you're out here and not working!' He crossed his arms and sent her an accusing glare.

'He can want what he likes, it's only out of my own decision that I came to be a member of this crew. If he lets it go to his head that I'm suddenly as easy to boss around as you are, Gibbs, then I'll have no choice but to resign from my position.' She crossed her arms too and leant against the railing of the ship.

Gibbs' face darkened at Demelza's insult and he uncrossed his arms.

'Be careful, missy. You don't know the Captain as well as I do.' He warned in a hushed tone.

'And you don't know _me_ well enough to suggest I'm incapable of dealing with whatever _Captain_ has to throw at me.' She hissed and stalked off, leaving Gibbs to frown harder than ever.

~000~000~

'Yes?' Demelza huffed as she slammed the cabin door behind her and crossed her arms.

'Ah, the delightful Miss Dumiere.' Jack waved a decorated hand in the air with a grin. 'The very light that brings joy to this ship. What's put you in such a fine mood this morning?' Jack quipped sarcastically and lifted his feet up onto the table.

Demelza rolled her eyes. 'Gibbs said you wanted me.'

'That I do.' Jack's eyes darkened and he flashed a cocky grin to the gypsy.

'Well?'

'Me desk needs a wipe down, love.' He took his feet off and gestured to the grubby desktop. 'I'll take these out ya way.' Lifting the maps with one hand he grabbed his compass with the other and precariously balanced a bottle of rum in the grip of his little finger. 'Now, you can get started, aye?'

She huffed and took a rag out of her pocket. After heading to the washroom to dampen it, she returned to see him sat back at the desk again, fiddling with his compass.

'How am I supposed to clean it if you won't bugger off?' She pushed his feet off and he pouted childishly.

'You make me feel unwanted, Demi.' Jack tipped his compass left and right. 'Ah!' He stood then and quickly fled the cabin without another word.

Demelza tutted and starting scrubbing at the wood. Why was he so bloody weird?

~000~000~

'Ugh! This is ridiculous! It's not coming off. I give up.' Demelza fell back into Jack's chair and toyed with the ruby pendant around her neck.

'Devils and black sheep and really bad eggs, drink -' Jack stopped dead when he saw Demelza sat in his chair. 'Oi, what do you think you're doing?'

Demelza paused and looked down at herself before locking eyes with the pirate.

'I'd say I'm sitting. What would you say?'

'I'd say you're sitting in the wrong bloody chair, love!'

Demelza stood up, mock curtseyed at him and continued to scrub the wood angrily.

'Hey, I've told you once before, love. Take it easy on the woodwork.' Jack strolled past her and stood by the large bay window at the back of his cabin.

'What on earth is this ungodly stain, Jack?' Demelza scrubbed so hard she began to burn a whole in the cloth because of the friction.

Jack shrugged. 'No idea, love. Not my ship, not my desk.'

Demelza stood up and glared at the wall. 'Then why am I being forced to clean it?'

'Because one thing that is mine, love.' Jack began, turning around and entering Demelza's personal space dangerously-close. 'Is you. And you will do as I say without retortment, savvy?'

His rum-scented breath tickled her cheeks and Demelza's front faltered. 'Aye, Captain.' She turned back around and continued to scrub.

Jack grinned. That was becoming incredibly easy.

~000~000~

'Some o' the men being saying she's got powers…'

'Powers? Like magic and that?'

'Aye…someone said he saw her on deck the other night, blue lightning shooting from her fingertips like jagged scars across the blackened sky, he said.'

Demelza rolled her eyes with a grin. These crew-men were oddly entertaining.

She was currently stood at the sink in the galley helping the cook, Leroy, to wash up after supper. The two men seated at the table behind her had been talking now for the past 30 minutes about her powers, seemingly under their breath, but she could hear every word.

She caught Leroy's eye and he sent her a look that said 'these idiots'. She laughed silently and continued to wash the bowl as best she could in the water she'd been given.

'Oi! Why are you two not up on deck? If the Captain hears 'bout this, you'll be gone before the end of' the week! Now scarper!'

Demelza rolled her eyes again at the irritating sound of Gibbs' voice. True, he was only doing his job, but he'd always seemed to have something about her that caused him to scold her at every opportunity.

'You?'

Here we go.

'Missy, what be the reason for you to be in the galley? You're cabin-boy.'

Demelza turned and looked at the short man.

'I've been relieved of my duties for an hour and Leroy asked for some assistance. I simply agreed. Problem?'

Gibbs glanced at Leroy then back at Demelza again. 'Aye,' he looked at her sternly. 'Leroy is the cook and it be Leroy's job to be in the galley. You're the cabin-boy and when yer not wanted in the cabin, you stay outta the way and help on deck when needed. Not down here where no one can see ye!'

'See me?' Demelza frowned. 'Are you implying something Gibbs? Between Leroy and I?'

Gibbs ears went red at the accusation and a glance at Leroy confirmed that he was the same.

'You don't belong here, Missy. A woman on board…tis bad luck.' He muttered before leaving the galley, still mumbling under his breath.

~xxx~

'Gibbs!' Jack called out from the helm.

'Aye, Captain?'

'Miss Dumiere, she be under your command for the remainder of the day. I've relieved her from cabin duties and so she'll be working on deck with the rest of the crew, aye?'

'Aye, Captain.' Gibbs shot a smug and amused look to Demelza who had just appeared out of the galley. She'd managed to catch the last of the conversation and didn't like it.

'Wait! No, no, no, no! We agreed, Jack, that I was cabin-woman in return for the pendant.' She stalking out and squinted up at Jack. He was looking ahead and didn't seem to be listening.

'Jack!'

'Aye! But the exchange has not been made has it? You are cabin-woman, yes. But I do not have to pendant, do I?' He shouted back down.

Demelza clutched it in anger. 'I will not work under the orders of this…buffoon!'

'Insult me crew, Demi, and you insult me. I do not like to be insulted!'

'Fine!' Demelza strode over to the railing, thrusting her hand out, breaking the chain of the pendant and dangling the jewel over the edge. 'I'll drop it.'

Jack's face dropped, a hand flashed out to reach for the pendant but he was at the helm and could not reach. He frowned. 'Why?'

'You know why, Jack.' She glared at him. 'The only thing you want me for is this pendant. If I'd only given you the pendant, you'd be happy.'

Confidence suddenly shone in Jack's eyes and he motioned for Cotton to take over. He strode down the stairs at a painfully slow pace and Demelza's grip on the stone tightened as he neared her. Holding her chin up, she never broke eye contact with the pirate.

'Aye, that is true enough. But you are a land pirate after all. You drove a bargain. In return for the pendant, you wanted information about your father.' His eyes glinted. 'Why? Why promise me this pendant to have powers of bringing me beloved pearl out of the damned bottle? Why then ask such a request of me as this? There are thousands of men on this sea, Demelza. Just because some barman says your father knows me doesn't mean I remember your father.' He paused. 'I've annoyed a lot of people in my lifetime, love.'

Demelza gritted her teeth. 'You're my only hope.' She admitted after a moment's silence, flashing a grin in Gibbs' direction to see him listening to their conversation with intent.

'Aye.' Jack stepped forward; his hand came up and stroked her cheek. Demelza didn't flinch away, but she didn't let it cloud her vision either. She stayed stock still, not a new witness to games such as this. She knew from the moment she'd laid eyes on the man that Jack was a seducer. She worked her hardest to keep herself immune from it.

Before she could answer, something in the distance caught her eye. Her head turned, along with a puzzled Jack's, to see a tiny boat far in the distance.

'What's that?' she asked, squinting to try and see it clearer. Jack whipped out is telescope and frowned into. The audible gulp that followed told Demelza it was someone Jack didn't fancy seeing.

Her heart lifted in hope slightly before Jack's next words made it plunge in disappointment.

'Ana Maria…'


	5. Chapter 5

**I apologise greatly with my entire soul! I've found it extremely hard to write anything of great length recently due to school exams and family pressure blah blah blah, you get the idea. That's why any of you who've added me as a favourite author will have seen emails of my Sherlock one-shots being updated and thought 'Why is she not updating this one?!' **

**For that I can only ask you to refer to my second sentence. **

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me for this long! I hate leaving you all hanging after you've been so wonderful for reviewing/favouriting/following.**

**So anyway, enough of my ridiculous rambling. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

'Haul her aboard, lads!' Gibbs' gruff voice caused several of the crew nearby to spring into action.

Jack stepped back, almost colliding with Demelza, as he moved out of the way to allow two crewmen to hoist the small rowboat up to the side of the ship with ropes.

Jack grimaced at the sight inside the small vessel. Demelza looked round Jack's form to get a look and it set a sudden thump of dread to erupt in her chest.

Ana Maria was curled up in the bottom of the boat, hair tossed over her face in the wind, dangerously thin-looking and seemingly unconscious.

'Cap'n?' Gibbs looked to Jack for orders.

'My cabin.' Jack answered abruptly before turning and walking briskly away.

* * *

'How's she doing?' Jack enquired he entered the cabin having just returned from the helm. He'd relieved Demelza of her cabin duties to see to Ana Maria's health while he was gone, much to Demelza's confusion.

'Who is she?' Demelza asked standing straight from her place beside the captain's bed.

Jack stared straight into Demelza's eyes for a few seconds before turning his head to look at the woman lying in his bed. He'd grown used to the creases beside her eyes and the gently slope of her neck down to her collarbone, yet the sight that met him was one that caused an odd sensation in his stomach. This was Ana Maria, a woman he'd known for many years, a woman he'd run from after stealing her boat, yet the woman lying here was almost a stranger. She looked far too thin, far too ill to be the Ana he knew so well.

'An old friend.' Jack answered finally and walked past Demelza, straight to his desk and plopped down into his chair.

Demelza frowned, looked at the woman then looked back to Jack.

'So she's an ex-lover then?'

'Why must you assume such behaviour of me, Demi? I'm a pirate, yes. Doesn't mean I go after anything that moves.' Jack seemed somewhat deflated and Demelza decided to not ask any more questions.

Instead she bent over the bed again to check Ana Maria for a fever.

'I don't understand why she's still unconscious…there's nothing I can do to try and re-nourish her until she wakes up. But I can't seem to _get_ her to wake up.'

'Then leave her be for a while, Demi.' Jack was frowning at a bottle of rum, swirling the remaining contents around in the bottom of it. 'She'll wake up when she's ready.'

Demelza turned to face the pirate with a concerned eye.

'What's gotten into you, Jack? You're suddenly very sullen.' She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. 'You still love her, is that it?'

Jack choked on his rum. 'Love?! Nah, I don't love her Demi. She's a friend. Of sorts.'

Demelza's frown deepened. 'So you used to love her then?'

'No. I did not. Never have, never will.' Jack dismissed with a wave of his hand.

'So…a friend. Of sorts. What does that mean exactly?' Demelza pressed.

'Demelza.' Jack warned. The use of her full name caused an icy chill to settle in the pit of Demelza's stomach. 'I don't believe noseying into me business was a part of our deal.' Jack's eyes darkened a shade and Demelza worked hard to stop her cheeks doing the same.

'Fine. I'll shut up then.' She turned and started fiddling with the bedding around Ana.

She didn't hear Jack get up, or his presence right behind her until she stood straight. An audible gasp left her lips and she fought the urge to turn and face him.

'The pendant, if you will.' Jack extended a hand in front of her and she looked down at it.

'What, now?' she asked.

Jack's hand moved upwards towards her chest and he snickered a little. 'I'll get it myself if you'd prefer.'

Demelza caught his wrist and twisted it in a way she had learnt from her profession as a gypsy in Tortuga. Touchy-feely drunks were an area she was confident in. Jack grimaced but made no sound.

'I'll get it.' She lifted her other hand and ripped the pendant off its chain around her neck, dangling it and placing it into Jack's palm.

Before he had chance to thank her, a croaky voice spoke.

'Still the perverted pirate I've always known.' Ana Maria coughed once and made to sit up.

* * *

'So let me get this straight.' Demelza smoothed her hand over the railing of the ship, the sea breeze whipping her hair. 'You were a friend of Jack's, he stole your ship, and you then joined his crew in Tortuga a year later?'

'Yes, then I managed to end up on a Merchant ship heading to France. They noticed I was a woman and threw me overboard.' Ana squinted in the sunlight.

'Oi! Ladies! I'd hate to interrupt but would ye mind helping out rather than yapping your pretty little mouths into oblivion?' Jack shouted over the sound of the waves from his cabin door. 'Ana, crow's nest! Demi, with me!' he then disappeared inside his cabin.

'Has he always done that?' Demelza asked.

'Always.' Ana laughed lightly and shook her head. 'But as long as you do as he says and only participate in fun when he allows it, you'll get by. Jack's a good man really. He just doesn't like showing it.' She then headed off in the direction of the crow's nest.

Demelza knocked once on the door of the cabin before entering anyway. It was dark, almost pitch black and she wondered what the reason was for Jack's asking of her.

'Jack?' She called out. Stepping further into the cabin, she realised the only light was coming from the window at the back, but the curtains had been drawn haphazardly.

'Jack, is this some stupid game?' She called again. 'Ah!'

With a loud thud, her back collided with the wall and two hands were gripping at her hips. Without a second's thought, she reached up and detached her bandana from her head. In one reflex move it was wrapped around her assaulter's neck and she was about to pull it tight when her pendant glinted at her and she realised who it was.

'Jack? What on earth are you doing?' She quickly let go of the bandana, letting it drop to the floor and before she got an answer, Jack's hands and caught her wrists, pinning them up above her head. She could feel his breath on her mouth and resisted the urge to bite her lip. _What was this pirate doing to her?_

'Jealousy is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't ye think, Demi?' He breathed, his grip on her wrists squeezing a little and his head bending dangerously close to hers.

'What do you mean?' Demelza spat through gritted teeth, she was contemplating bringing her knee up hard against his groin, but she couldn't help the temptation of finding out what he was getting at.

'You, dear. You're eyes gave it all away I'm afraid. When you enquired, in so much detail, my relationship with the newest crew member.' Jack paused, he smiled at her but it was too dark for her to see. 'So eager to know all about her…be careful, Demi. I know gypsies have a tendency for being possessive, but you've only been aboard me ship for a few weeks. I'm not yours yet, love.'

Demelza ignored the ache in her abdomen and instead focussed her intentions on playing his game too.

'You're right, Jack.' She breathed, leaning her lips only millimetres from his. 'I do. I'm possessive over you already.' She heard him swallow and grinned to herself. 'I want you.' She practically moaned.

Before Jack had leaned in fully to press his lips to hers, Demelza had brought her knee up sharply, ruining all chance of contact between their lips as Jack doubled up, letting go her wrists and stumbling back.

She retrieved her bandana and tied it back around her head, watching him with a satisfied smile, before turning to light the lamp by the door, shedding some better light on the situation.

'Very good.' Jack croaked. 'Very good indeed. Just as I suspected.'

'Good?' Demelza cocked her head to the side, her hands at her hips.

'Yes, Demi. I suspected you'd be good at self-defence, love. What with being a gypsy and all.' He stood straight again, coughing a bit.

'Oh, I suppose you collected that information at the same time as the information on our 'possessive tendencies?' She scoffed.

Jack stayed silent.

'So then, your reason for finding about my defence capabilities?' She narrowed her eyes at him and once again found he had invaded her personal space without her knowing.

'We're being followed, by my very enemies, Demi. I needed to know whether you'd be capable of fending for yourself should a full-blown fight ensue.'

'Well, you were right then.' She looked him straight in the eye. 'We are good at self-defence. And yes, we are _extremely possessive._' She whispered the last two words seductively and enjoyed the dilation of Jack's pupils as she did.

'Oh?' Jack stepped even closer, his hand moving to trace a line down her jawline with his finger.

The tension between them was roaring like an angry fire.

'Yes.' Demelza smirked. 'So you're very lucky aren't you?' She reached and gripped his shirt in her fist.

'I am?' Jack smirked too slightly; but his eyes never left Demelza's parted lips.

'_Very_ lucky. To be in ownership of my pendant.' Demelza grinned. 'After all, we are _very_ possessive.'

Demelza laughed as she stepped out of the close proximity and left the cabin.

The tension very much stamped out in one move.


	6. Chapter 6

"So then...you and the Captain?"

Anamaria's words caused a fiery glow to flame across Demelza's cheeks and an icy chill to settle in her stomach at the same time. Her hands on the rag as she scrubbed the floor just outside Jack's cabin clenched hard and she sat back on her heels.

"Me and the Captain?" She asked, urging Anamaria to continue. "Me and the Captain what?"

Ana elbowed her in the side, "Oh come on, you know what I'm getting at! You like him. And I've known that man far longer than I'd like. If the feelings arent mutual then you can hang me from the crow's nest by my ankles!" She laughed and Demelza's touch exterior broke temporarily enough for her to let out a laugh too.

"Come on, Dem. I've seen it with my own eyes. He treats you different to the rest of us." Ana pressed and Demelza glanced sideways at her.

"Jack is a man who thinks he is very good at getting what he wants." She spoke matter-of-factly as she threw the rag into a bucket of, now cold, water and stood up, balancing it on her hip.

"Only if you're willing to give it." Ana addeed and she stood too. "Which you seem to be, Dem." She sent her friend a raised-eyebrow look. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say-"

"Demelza."

Jack's door suddenly swung open he stood with a stern, locked jaw. "In here."

Ana have Demelza a knowing look before taking the bucket from the gypsy and nodding in the direction of the Captain. "Duty calls!"

Demelza rolled her eyes with a chuckle as she watched Ana disappear, but as she turned to lock eyes with the Captain, her face dropped. Without a word, he stepped aside to allow her inside his cabin and she obeyed.

* * *

"What do you _mean_ 'off'!(?)"

"I mean exactly that, Demi. Our deal is off. Recent..." Jack paused. "_Information _has enlightened me to the fact that your pendant,' he ripped the offending trinket from his braids and glared at it before throwing it over his shoulder and onto his desk behind him without looking. 'is void.'

Demelza grit her teeth as her pendant collided with the heavy wood of his desk with a loud 'clunk'. She snapped her eyes up to meet his.

"Void?" She looked shocked at first, but after a short while her lips broke out into a smile, which in turn then tumbled into a bright laugh.

"What?" Jack's face dropped and he narrowed his eyes.

Demelza confidently strode over to his chair and flopped into it, crossing her legs and beaming up at him.

"Whoever gave you this _information _is sorely mistaken."

"And you're led to that conclusion...how?" Jack challenged.

"How?" She scoffed in disbelief. "It's _my _pendant! I know that it's real!"

"And you're so sure?"

Demelza smiled and leaned forward on his desk with her elbows, propping her chin with one hand.

Jack's jaw tightened. There was something about her sat at his desk so casually that seemed to ignite something in him.

"I know it's real because you are living proof." Demelza reached across the desk and lifted a bottle of rum by the neck, admiring the swirl of the liquor as she flicked her wrist. "In fact, I used it to bring you to me back in Tortuga. Ever wonder what spontaneously caused you to turn up there, in daylight, on that particular day?" She swigged once from the bottle, letting the liquor burn her throat.

"Witchcraft." Jack spat. He was already angered at her touching his precious rum. "That pays as no proof to the authenticity of the rock. I always spontaneously turn up in Tortuga. Without the need of a heading."

Demelza's face darkened.

"Oh, you silly sea pirates. You travel so far, knowing so much of the ocean and yet so pathetically little of the land." She slammed the bottle down on the desk.

"I know plenty about land, thank you, Demi." Jack glared at her misuse of his rum bottle.

Demelza barked a laugh. "No, Jack. Not land. _The land. _Knowledge of the secrets, treasures, wonders. The _magic _of the land. There are many a curse put upon these oceans but none so vicious as those cast on the land."

Demelza stood.

"It's not witchcraft, Jack." She stepped up to him. "It's me." She breathed and Jack could smell his rum on her breath. It both infuriated him further and intoxicated him, causing his eyes to droop briefly. His eyes opened again, dark and fixed on Demelza's.

"Go on then. _Gypsy. _Prove this jewell's worth. Prove it to be as worthlessly dull as I have been so reliably informed." Jack knew his choice of words would strike fury in the young woman.

Instead of fury though, Demelza arched an eyebrow at the word 'reliably'. It provided some much needed information as to the who-abouts of her perpetrator.

"Dull?" She questioned.

"Yes, dull. Void. Dead."

Demelza, without breaking the heated eye contact, reached out and took the pendant from the desktop. She continued to stare at Jack straight in the eye as she whispered, "Dull. Void. Dead." She paused with a sly smile, lifting the jewel to their eye level. "Bright. Real. _Alive!" _

And that was when the ship lurched violently with a sickening crash.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Thanks to all new followers and favourites! I'm glad you're still enjoying this story. I apologise for the uneven updates. I'm currently in the middle of my GCSE's and can't find time for writing very easily! So apologies for the length of this one! I promise once all 11 exams are done and dusted, my attention will be focussed solely on my writing! With an extra-long summer break, I'd say that's something to look forward to! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

'Demi.' Jack's voice sounded soft and distant. Demelza winced, her head throbbing, a sharp twisting pain in her left side and her vision blurry and contorted.

'Dem.' Ana whispered. 'Dem, wake up. Jack wants you to drink this.'

Demelza lifted her foggy head; it felt like it had been stuffed with cotton wool.

'Ana, go and alert the crew that Demi is conscious again.' Jack ordered softly but sternly. Ana rolled her eyes but obeyed and had soon disappeared.

'Ye gave us a nasty fright back there, Miss Dumiere.' Jack was applying something wet and cold to Demelza's forehead and scrunched up her nose and frowned to try and see what it was.

'What did I do?' She asked. She had no memories of anything. The least she could remember was stepping out of the Captain's cabin to see the Navy ship alongside them, and Jack's annoyed cry of _'Why did no one alert the Captain?! Useless cackhands!' _

'I was hoping this would be the case.' Jack sat back in his chair and Demelza realised she was lying on his bed. She bolted upright and immediately regretted it. Strong throbbing pain swam through her head and her left side stung.

'Why does my side hurt?' She reached to take a look but found it bandaged. 'And why is my head throbbing? Jack!' She demanded an answer.

'Fine. If you so wish to know, fair maiden. And since ye asked so politely.' Jack bowed his head in sarcasm. 'You were taken aboard the Navy ship because they believed you to be the only innocent one aboard The Maiden's Wrath. Lord knows why they thought that.' Demi used her right arm to harshly slap him on the chest. 'Ow! You know you're only proving my point!' He added and she ceased. 'Once they had you on board, they proceeded to attempt to slaughter me and me crew.'

'And?'

'What do you mean, 'and'?' He rose and eyebrow.

'Well obviously they didn't, because you're all still here. And somehow in all that mess I managed to get hurt!' She spoke through gritted teeth.

'Ah, I'm getting there, Demi. Patience.' Jack poured some rum onto a rag, soaking it. 'Once my crew were busy fighting off the Navy eunuchs, I set about getting you back on my ship. So I went across and got you back, simple as that.' He began to gently unwind Demelza's bandages and the care that he took seemed to shock Demelza so much that she couldn't find it intrusive. He applied the rum-soaked rag and she hissed sharply as the alcohol hit her wound.

'Apologies.' Jack mumbled and pressed it firmly.

'So, you got me back?' Demelza continued. 'Is that it? How did I manage to do this?'

'Well…I'm not sure you'd appreciate me telling you that, Demi.' Jack avoided her eye contact and started to replace her bandages.

'And why not?' Demelza took the bandages from him with a manner that told Jack she was somehow offended by his words. 'Now I want to know even more.'

'Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you.' Jack began. 'Once we were back on board my ship. I insisted you be kept in my cabin until the fight was over. But of course, you were having none of it. Being the feisty thing you are, you insisted that you'd be perfectly fine to fight on deck.'

'Well?'

'Well, you weren't.' He explained, poorly. 'You got grazed by a sword on your left side and violently knocked out from behind while you were staring open-mouthed at your wound.' Jack scratched the back of his head awkwardly. 'There.'

He took the bottle of rum and stood up, walking away from the bedside and taking his seat back at his desk, legs propped atop.

Demelza's jaw clenched. 'So I was basically useless to you?'

'I wouldn't say that, little miss gypsy.' Jack grinned. 'You managed to take out more officers than Ana or Gibbs. It seems I underestimated you.'

Demelza couldn't help the grin that spread across her features. 'So we won?'

'Yes, we wwre victorious, Demi. I think that Navy ship can quite confidently be described as 'vacating on the sea bed'.' Jack swigged from his bottle.

'So, what do we do now? To celebrate?' Demelza felt extremely pleased that her first encounter against the Navy had succeeded. Even if she couldn't remember a single second of it.

A light switched on in Jack's brain as an incredible plan began to form. Spider's webs of ideas, weaved through one another to fabricate a strategy that was likely to succeed.

'I was thinking a party…of sorts, Demelza.' Jack grinned. 'Care to join?' He lifted the bottle with a wink and swigged the remaining contents greedily.

Demelza couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling of dread that sunk to her stomach. Why did he have that glint in his eye?


	8. Chapter 8

_**Okay guys, so this is a tad bit DEFINITELY on the T-rated side. It is quite suggestful, but there's no smut. I have no idea what your reactions to this will be...but if you would like an M-rated chapter to follow this one then review or PM me and let me know. I'd be happy to write one if I knew people wanted one! I will make sure to upload the M-rated chapter and the one following it at the same time so that anyone not wishing to read it can just skip straight ahead. Don't worry, I will make sure there are no major plot bunnies in the M-rated chapter, that way no one misses out or gets confused. **_

_**Let me know on your opinion of that and I'll get right to it. Thank you! **_

_**Enjoy! **_

_**Note: Sorry about the double upload...there was an error in the previous one. **_

* * *

Rough lips grazed the soft skin of her neck. Ragged breaths escaped her throat and her own lips sat parted and tingling with the desire to be touched.

The lips travelled up her neck, sending the skin behind them to flourish out into goose-bumps. She felt hands grip her hips, pinning her against the wall with solid intent. A soft moan escaped her parted mouth from somewhere at the back of her throat and she felt heat pool in her abdomen.

How could she have let this happen? She'd been defenseless, unwilling to fight against him. She'd just let him do it.

The heat in the cabin was unbearably hot. Hotter than she'd ever experienced it to be, and the heat seemed to intensify as Jack crowded her against the wall, his lips working against her jawline now. She couldn't even remember how this had happened. He'd just suddenly pounced...and she'd let him.

"J-Jack..." she managed, trying to encourage him to pull away so she could ask him how they'd ended up like this.

"Hush, love." His words tingled against her skin and she felt her eyelids flutter, the heat in her abdomen searing to a desiring ache. Just as she felt him grind his hips against her-

-she gasped. Bolting upright, her chest rising and falling and her eyes blinking in the dim light of her bunk.

A dream? It was only a dream! That explained why she'd been so defenseless. So willing towards her Captain.

She sighed in annoyance with herself, rubbing her temples in an attempt to calm herself down. Her wound had almost completely healed now, it was only really a graze anyway, but thanks to Jack's careful attention, it only really hurt when she twisted suddenly or hit it on something. She no longer wore bandages which she was grateful for, they were hell to sleep in.

"Come on then, gypsy lady! You coming or what? We've got celebrations to be doin'!" A deckhand, with a name Demelza could not remember, thudded halfway down the stairs and shouted across at her, interrupting her thoughts. "Cap'n's waitin'!"

Her chest tightened. She knew how awkward it would be, facing him so soon after experiencing a dream such as that. The scariest part was that she didn't even find herself disgusted with it. In fact, her abdomen throbbed with that familiar ache and she had to quickly climb out of her bunk before she acted upon it.

She shook her head quickly. There was no way she'd let him get into her mind like that. She was here to find her father and that was all.

* * *

"Master Gibbs! Before you make it your business to drink my ship dry, go down to the hold and fetch up another barrel. See to it that everyone on board has a drink, man!" Jack ordered from his place at the helm. He had a bottle clutched in one hand and the other was caressing the wheel of _The Maiden's Wrath_. "Tis not the same..." He muttered to himself at the absence of his _Pearl_ and swigged from his bottle somewhat disgruntled.

Gibbs didn't respond, but grumbled as he made his way down to the hold.

"Do you ever run out of rum?" Demelza appeared at the top of the stairs beside Jack. She leant against the railing beside the wheel, her arms folded, trying hard to remain plain-faced and confident in front of the man who she'd just dreamt was nibbling at her neck. She couldn't help but let her eyes briefly flick to his lips when he replied.

"Only if it all gets drunk, love. Which is rarely seeing as we hope to make port in Tortuga regularly enough to keep supplies up." He turned the wheel and tied it in place before gesturing his rum bottle to the gypsy, offering her a drink.

She shook her head, wary of the glint he'd had in his eye when suggesting this so-called 'party'.

He wrinkled his nose briefly before holding the bottle higher and turning to his crew down below.

"Gents! The lady has appeared! May your celebrations be merry and never lacking in...rum!" He frowned at his choice of words and Demelza had to bite her cheek to stop from laughing at his odd speech.

"So then, Jack. Why is it that you're not down there with them?" She nodded down in the direction of the crewmen. They were all crowded around a small table cluttered with rum bottles and decks of cards. Demelza presumed they were playing a game that involved betting, seeing as a shorter, balding man whom Demelza learned the name of as Pintel, was stood behind a scrawnier pirate, Ragetti, and whispering his hand to the crewman opposite. Poor Ragetti, the half-wit, didn't even notice he was being tricked.

"Cards aren't really my thing." Jack explained then turned to the gypsy. "Don't hold up me interest for very long." He smirked when she still didn't meet his eyes, intentionally or unintentionally, he couldn't tell.

"Tell me, Demi." Jack strolled round behind her, his lips inches from her ear, his breath disturbing her hair and tickling her skin. "Are you much the same?"

Demelza bit her cheek harder, fighting hard to maintain her composure. The slumber she'd suffered didn't help in the slightest as she found all she wanted was for him to do exactly as he had done in her dream.

"Oh yes, traditional card games are for wimpy men and worthless deckhands who like the idea of betting that bit too much but would never gamble with the risk of death." She breathed, trying hard to remain the confident one. "Personally I find _my_ games with cards to be much more _exciting. _"

Jack grinned, his eyes scanning her jawline as she spoke, still facing away from him. "I presume they'd entail something much more..._dangerous_." It was a statement, not a question.

Demelza could feel that twisting pull in her lower abdomen slip down further as he continued to breech her personal space, the hand not holding the rum bottle was now gently skimming over her skirt-clad hip. She decided, quite unceremoniously, that she was going to go along with this strange game of his.

She reached her hand around, her palm brushing his leg which caused a soft growl to emitt just beside her ear. She smirked. Her hand continued until it found his. Without turning to look at him, she removed the rum bottle, lifting it to her lips and tipping her head back to swig from it. His eyes grew dark, this silly game of theirs was beginning to cause the Captain to grow impatient. He lifted his hand, now empty of the bottle, and gently grazed his fingertips over her slender neck as she drank. The moonlight hit her skin, giving it a white-blue glow under his calloused hand as he slid it further around her neck, the most tantilizing motion of strangulation. She grinned against the rim of the bottle, lowering it from her lips and now turning her head to meet his eyes as she dropped it from her grasp. It smashed a their feet but niether so much as flinched.

Jack, without a word, quickly turned her in his hold. She let out a gasp as her back hit the railing and his grip tightened as he leaned further into her. His ringed hand remained loosely around her neck, the other now gripping slightly firmer at her hip. She raised her chin, smiling at him with her eyes, her lips slightly parted in challenge.

"You're quite used to these situations." Jack whispered gruffly at the gypsy. "A pirate, attempting to have his way with you." His words rocketed straight to her now-aching womanhood and she let a tiny bit of her smile slip onto her lips for a split second. "Tell me, Demi..." Jack's hand around her neck motioned the movement of wringing it, except his touch was so light that it almost became suggestful and her eyelids drooped momentarily. "If you were at home, in your wagon in Tortuga at this very second..." His voice was soft yet dominant between them. "What would you do?"

She grinned, a slow, knowing grin as she lifted her leg, her thigh parting his. She watched as his pupils dilated a little, darkening his eyes even more. She leaned closer to him, her lips now mere milliemetres from his, so close that the desire to close the gap was almost unbearable.

"Jack Sparrow, so full of questions." She whispered, her breath hitting his lips, their eyes locked. He didn't correct her misuse of his name, surprisingly, so she continued. "In a situation such as this, pinned against something with the pirate in the dominant position..." She paused, enjoying the reaction he gave to her calling him dominant. "All I'd have to do, is bring my knee up, harsh and hard." She flinched, her leg momentarily jumping up but not far enough to collide with him. To her utter shock, he didn't jump, didn't flinch at her movements.

She laughed, low and from the back of her throat and moved her head so that her lips were close to his ear, she whispered, "But then, there is the alternate situation."

His eyes warmed and his grin grew a little wider. "And what would that entail, Miss Dumiere?"

She lifted a hand, gliding it up and past his braids to cradle his neck. She pushed her leg forward between his as she stretched up to whisper into his ear once again. "That would, of course, mean that I wasn't...unwilling."

Jack's eyes nearly rolled back in his head. This woman was both infuriating him, yet gradually satisfying his desire. He could do nothing but let her do as she pleased, which infuriated him further.

"It's so sad, isn't it?" She continued, caressing his neck and fisting her other hand into his shirt. "When one is _unwilling_..." He nodded, only half-aware of what she was saying. "I had a dream about you, Jack. Not long before I was summoned up here."

His attention spiked. Why would she dream about him?

"And what did that dream involve, love?" He asked, lifting the hand that was at her hip and sweeping her hair from her shoulder to bend his head and nuzzle her neck.

"You." She tried to explain over the sensations he was causing at her pulse point. "-..me." She managed, her lips parted as she gasped, rolling her head to allow him more access. His lips were rough, just like in her dream, but something she didn't account for was his tongue or teeth. He licked small patterns over her skin, grating his teeth gently over them before sucking harshly, leaving his mark over and over again.

Her breathing had turned to shudders and her grip on his shirt tightened as her eyes fluttered shut and her womanhood continued to hassle her.

"J-Jack..." She attempted. Something about doing this on deck, where any member of the crew could walk up to them at any moment, sent shivers down her spine and told her to stop yet at the same time gave the whole ordeal that element of risk that she loved so to sink her teeth into. "Ah! Jack!"

"Sssh...,love. Hush now." He murmured against her skin and it was too similar to her dream.

Except she'd never dreamt it this _intense_.

"Jack we-...I can't...not..." She resisted growling in annoyance at her lack of ability to formulate a sentence, and instead focussed on the man that was now starting to rock his hips against her. She lifted a hand to the back of his head and raised her chin, her breaths even more sporadic as her sole attention was now between her legs.

Just as she thought she could quite easily give in and do this right there right then, regardless of the crewmen below them, Jack stopped. He stood straight, his hands both at her hips now, and smiled. She now boasted several reddish-purple bitemarks, her lips were still parted, her blonde hair swept now over one shoulder, exposing her slender neck, and her tight little brow was creased in confusion.

He leaned impossibly close to her ear again, "Not on deck, love. I may be spontaneous but that's just not my thing." He whispered, chuckling as she whimpered and he stood straight again. "My cabin is right behind me, if you'd care to join?" He held out a hand to her, the other one still grasped at her waist. "But that is of course, unless you're..._unwilling_."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Note: So here's the M Rated chapter I promised. Of course, if you don't wish to read it then click onto the next chapter now. Thank you! **_

_**Warning: M RATED CONTENT. SMUT AND MODERATE ABUSIVE REFERENCES. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

Heat.

That's what she could feel.

Heat. Everywhere, heat.

Just like her dream. The cabin itself was blistering, and with Jack crowding over her, the heat seemed close. Too close for comfort.

Yet she didn't stop him.

Her breaths were ragged, uneven and shaky. Her chest heaved quickly, up and down up and down, her throat growing dry and every swallow she took was thick.

Yet she didn't stop him.

His hands, lips, teeth. Greedily roamed every inch of her skin. She wasn't a stranger to this. But Jack was different. Jack caused a frustration inside of her to grow and swell to the point of almost anger.

Yet she didn't stop him.

When he'd begun, pressing her up against his wall, by untying her bandana, letting it drop to their feet and carding his fingers through her hair, she'd moaned. She'd responded by untucking his shirt from his breeches, hastily, impatiently. The heat around them was also within her, coursing through her veins.

She hadn't stopped him.

She'd battled with the voice in her head telling her to stop, telling her he was a no-good pirate, a pirate _Captain_ too and that once he'd gotten what he wanted, he'd drop her like the bandana that now lay on the floor by the door where they'd begun. She'd ignored those voices, screwing up her eyes.

She hadn't stopped him.

When he'd left their clothes discarded on the floor of his cabin, lifted her up and carried her to the bed, revisiting his earlier markings on her pulse point and bringing them out to blossom in brighter shades on her skin, she'd completely shut off those voices. Drowning in the bliss that had now fully consumed her. She'd been confused at first, that a simple pirate had managed to cause her to grow so weak and unable to control herself. She'd felt ashamed, confused, but she'd also felt excited, daring, impatient.

She hadn't stopped him.

She hadn't stopped him at that point and by then she knew she never would. So she let go, giving herself that final push to act back. _Her _hands, _her _lips, _her _teeth. _His _groans.

When he'd met her eyes, dark and dilated, his lips stretched into a grin. She'd grinned back. Then biting her lip and snapping her eyes shut again when she'd felt his fingers finally touch the place where she'd realised all that heat had travelled to. She'd growled and whined when he slowed, and moaned and cried when he quickened. The no-good pirate allowing the heat to coil and tighten and then skillfully let it die down again, disallowing her the thing she, by now, was writhing beneath him to reach. She'd wanted to curse, and she did. She'd wanted to bite him harshly, and she did. She'd wanted the control, and she got it.

She'd flipped him, a well-practiced move, it seemed. He'd grinned again, suddenly aware of just what he was facing. Her knees either side of his hips, she hovered over him at just the right height, disallowing him any contact other than her fingers gently stroking his collarbone.

"My turn." Was all she had said, with a sly smile, before reaching behind his neck, pulling him up to meet her and simulteneously shifting up and forward then sinking down onto him. Their sweaty bodies had pressed together. His eyes had fluttered shut, mouth dropping open. She'd grinned wider. Not moving. Paying him back the revenge for his earlier teasing.

He'd opened his eyes again, staring up at her, amusment dancing behind them but frustration glinting plainly between the chocolate tones of his pupils. She'd thrown her head back and laughed. The tips of her long, blonde hair tickled her lower back and Jack first placed his hands on her hips, grazed over her skin to slide them round to her back before gripping her hair with both hands and tugging.

She'd gasped sharply. Never knowing his preferences until now.

He'd flipped her once more, her back colliding with the thin mattress and the grin never leaving her swollen lips. Moving onto his knees, he'd lifted her legs by the ankles, she'd set them on his shoulders without complaint. He'd entered her swiftly, without comment nor question. Her mouth had formed an 'O' in a silent scream.

With each thrust, her whole body jolted and she couldn't help the cries escaping her throat. By now the voices were long gone and all she could hear was the blood beating in her ears, the creaks of the bed beneath them, cheers and singing from above them on deck, and of course the throaty grunts from her Captain.

He'd moved a hand from her hip, sliding it up her stomach, cupping a breast as he passed and finally ending with his fingers loosely gripping her slender neck.

She'd opened her eyes and met his, both sharing a silent fondness for this new tactic. He'd tightened his grip just a little and enjoyed it as her parted lips had quivered and her eyes fluttered, roaming his body as he continued to thrust into her.

After a few more thrusts, she'd dropped her legs from his shoulders and lifted her hands, one gripped the wrist of the arm that was tantalizingly hinting at strangulation, the other hand she'd leaned forward closer to him and gripped his chin, bringing him close enough to feel his ragged breathing but still not close to enough for their lips to touch.

"As you know..." She'd begun, breathing her words against his lips, "we gypsies, are _very _possessive." She'd leaned forward, moving on top of _him_ instead. Moving him onto his back, she'd settled on his hips but remained leant over him, her lips grazing his as she'd spoken, their eyes locked.

"I know." He'd answered, his dark eyes lustful.

"Which means when we want something..." she'd continued, pausing to let her lips travel along his bearded jawline. "We make sure to get it, at whatever cost." She breathed hotly into his ear.

"Demelza..."

"And I've recently discovered...despite your rum-drinking habits, your complete ignorance for anyone else's opinion, and your capibility of sleeping with most things that move..." she'd paused, flicking her tongue out against his ear lobe before making her way back down his jawline to his lips. "I want _you_, Jack."

She'd then started rolling her hips against his, the friction between them growing alive once more, causing the pirate to growl lowly in his throat. She'd lifted herself off of him, making sure he was listening to her.

"And you know something?" She'd added, brushing her bottom lip against his. "I'm going to do whatever it takes...at whatever..._cost" _on the word 'cost' she slid down onto him again. "...to have you...all to myself."

"This is new, Demelza." He quirked an eyebrow inbetween wincing in pleasure. "But I welcome it, love. With open arms."


	10. Chapter 10

Now they both laid, spent and exhausted. Demelza stared at her bandana as it laid still where they'd left it by his door.

Jack lay next to her, his body glistened with sweat in the lamplight. He was inbetween sleep and awake, an after-sex daze.

_He should be dazed. _Demelza thought to herself with a chuckle. _That's probably the hardest he's even been worked. _She grinned in pride at herself, looking over her shoulder at him once more. His eyes were closed but his breathing showed wasn't quite asleep.

She smiled at him, this time with different intent. Before getting up from the bed and moving to find her clothes without disturbing him.

* * *

'Devils and black sheep...really bad eggs...' Jack sung quietly to himself as he sat in his usual position. Feet propper up on his desk, compass in hand.

Demelza was busy remaking his bed, she'd avoided his eye contact at all costs, knowing fulwell that he'd just give her that smirk of his. Today was a new day. She was no longer lust-driven, well not as much as she was. And she was certain that if she just didn't look at her Captain, she'd hold out long enough to not jump him. Again.

"Demi...tell me something." Jack spoke to her as she tucked his sheets into the sides of the bed frame. She couldn't help but bite the inside of her cheek at remembering what they'd done on this very spot just hours before. It sent flames to her abdomen and shook her head to steady herself.

"Yes, Jack?" She responded.

"What is it about Leroy that causes you to want to help him all the time?"

"What? I've helped him out twice, Jack. He was snowed under with all that washing up. Why do you ask?" She kept her back to him.

He paused. "No reason, love."

She sighed. Deeming the conversation as over, she turned around, but still did not look at him directly.

"So where are we headed?"

"Ah, that's for the Captain to know and the crew to go along with." Jack answered, swapping his feet over.

Demelza nodded. It was strangely awkward between them. As if it were two different versions of Jack and Demelza that had messed up his bed last night.

"You are relieved of ye duties for now, Demi. You may go and...galavant with the cook all you want." Jack sat up then, not meeting her eyes and seeming to be suddenly interested in something on his map.

"I do not 'galavant'..." She snarled.

"Oh no, I remember. Bouncing is more your thing." He winked at her and she flushed, quickly exiting his cabin before she made any further comment.

Once Demelza was outside, Jack's face dropped. He lifted his compass, frowned and snapped it shut with a grimace.

"Bloody women..."

* * *

"And you're sure you won't fall, Miss?" Leroy worriedly watched as Demelza climbed up onto the railing of the ship daintily.

"Oh stop fretting, Leroy. I'll be fine. The water is relatively calm." She began walking along it, arms outstretched, hair being played with by the breeze. "Besides, if I do fall, you can save me!" She laughed and Leroy could only smile out of politeness, he really didn't think she should've been up there.

"Very well, Miss. I won't-"

"Oi! Stop calling me _Miss_! I told you, it's _Demelza_." She interrupted, looking at him and while still balancing on the railing.

He nodded, still uneasy about her choice of fun and wrung his hands. She only flashed him a smile before turning her head to look out at the ocean.

"Demelza!"

"See? That's better, Leroy!" She turned back to smile at him. "Wasn't so hard was-?" She stopped herself when she realised Jack stalking towards them. It hadn't been Leroy that had shouted her name.

"Demelza! I would appreciate it if you didn't walk along there, love. Tis not-"

"Tis not your ship! Yeah, got it..." She cut him off, rolled her eyes and then proceeded to jump down from the railing with such grace that Leroy had to stop himself applauding her.

"Back to the galley, Master Adams. You can start me some lunch." Jack ordered and Leroy nodded twice before ducking and hurrying off.

"What were you doing up there, love?" Jack asked softly as he crossed the distance between them, pouting when Demelza turned away and faced the ocean.

"Having fun, Jack. Or at least trying to." She crossed her arms but a smug grin found it's way to her lips.

Jack rounded her and lifted her chin with his hand so they could lock eyes. "And ye don't believe last night was fun, Demi?" A smiled played at his mouth and his eyes sparkled.

"Not all fun can be achieved in a bed, Jack." She raised both eyebrows at him.

"No, love. Not at all. There's always the floor, desk, wall-"

"You know what I mean." She slapped him on the arm but her face showed anything but playfulness.

Jack paused, using his hand to tilt her face to and fro as he seemed to be...admiring it.

"What?" She frowned.

"Oh no, love." He lifted his hand from her chin and smoothed his fingers over her creased brow. "Don't do that."

Demelza stiffened. What was he doing? She cleared her throat and stepped away from him.

"I should get to work on your cabin. It needs tidying after...the celebrations last night." She watched as he grinned knowingly, sending her a strange look before she turned on her heel and headed across the deck without another word.

* * *

It was late afternoon. They were making good progress in terms of travel. But Jack frowned when he lifted his compass. The needle span in circles and never stopped on a direction, not even for a second.

"Gibbs!" Jack called out and his first mate was soon at his side. "Hold this."

Gibbs frowned but did as he was told and held the compass in front of him. The needle span a few times but eventually came to a halt, unlike with Jack. Both pirates followed the path it pointed and frowned when Demelza, hurriedly scrubbing the railing where she had earlier been balancing, came into view.

Jack's chest tightened and he turned back to look at his first mate. "Something you wanna be tellin' me, Gibbs?"

"I want her off this goddamn ship is what I want, Cap'n. Nothing more than that."

"Hmm." Jack mused and snatched the compass back. This time the needle stayed on Demelza for a short moment before spinning and wobbling undecidedly in a North-East direction. "Cotton! North-East!" He shouted up to the tongue-less pirate and the parrot on his shoulder squawked "North-East! North-East! There stays the voodoo beast!"

Jack rolled his eyes at the parrot's meaningless rhyme and instead snapped his compass shut and stalked over to Demelza.

"Jack. I was just-mmf!" She was cut off roughly by Jack's lips moving swiftly against hers, his hand on her arm. Demelza's gut coiled immediately and she felt her whimper like a helpless puppy. What was he doing? And right on deck? His tongue licked its way into her mouth and she fought back against it with her own. Two pirates, one of the sea, one of the land. Of course there would always be battle for dominance. Just as there had been the night before.

Pulling away with a loud _smack_, Jack looked her straight in the eyes and whispered, "Where's the pendant?"

"Wait, hold on. A minute ago you were kissing me. Was that some sort of bribe?" She stepped back and looked at him accusingly, her kiss-swollen lips a shade of pink-red.

Jack moved toward her again, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him. His lips found their way to her earlobe and he began teasing it with his tongue while whispering, "I know you have it, Demelza. Somehow it has ended up in your possession, love." He growled and bit down gently.

Her eyes had already fallen shut and her teeth were nearly drawing blood from her lip. One hand had clasped itself around the pendant hanging from her neck beneath her shirt, the other hand tied itself into Jack's hair and was pulling him closer to her.

"Why, Jack? I've told you. Until we've found my father, I am doing nothing to help you get you ship back. That was our agreement."

"Our agreement said nothing of you keeping possession of the pendant, Demelza."

"Did it also say nothing of our sleeping together?" She stepped away from him, tearing his lips from her skin and staring him straight in the eye. "Or was that in a claus that I failed to read? To be honest, Jack. I don't remember ever signing a contract! Our agreement was that I'd help you_ if_ you helped me! So far, nothing has been done to help me find my father! And so nothing shall be done about your bloody ship! Understood?"

Jack said nothing, a mixture of pain and anger across his features.

"I'm sorry, Jack. But we agreed. I don't make deals with pirates often. Count yourself lucky." She finished and picked up her bucket before leaving him stood there alone.

"Land hoy!" Gibbs called out and Jack turned on his heel.

"Already?" Jack frowned and made his way to the other side of the ship, leaning out to look over their destination.

"I think it a good time to replenish out supplies, Cap'n." Gibbs grinned up at Jack.

"Aye." Jack agreed. "Demelza!" He turned just in time to see her almost disappear into his cabin with new bedding. He ignored his chest tightening again in offense at the thought of her replacing his sheets, and instead spread out his arms with a grin.

"Welcome to Cayetano Bay, Miss Dumiere!" His eyes glinted. "Sister port of Tortuga."


End file.
